Back in January, 2009, there was a story that Jim Carrey had given then-girlfriend Jenny McCarthy a whopping $50 million trust for her son, Evan. That story was never confirmed by either Jenny or Jim from what I can find and what I remember. According to Jenny, Evan has autism, which she claims was brought on by the MMR vaccine and which she also claims she’s been able to largely alleviate through diet changes and other non traditional treatments. An article in Time Magazine speculated that Evan had another, milder related disorder called Landau-Kleffner syndrome. I’m mentioning all of that because many people were up in arms over the fact that Jenny now had a lot of money as ammunition for her “Green Our Vaccines” campaign. It’s a very lighting rod topic – whether vaccinations are related to autism, whether Jenny’s son actually had autism, etc. I saw Jenny on CNN and found her very impassioned and believable, but I also feel like I understand the other side of the issue. Some think Jenny is advocating against vaccines, although she claims she’s just trying to hold vaccine makers accountable and to ensure that vaccines are safe for children. Anyway, if that trust story is accurate, Jenny’s son Evan will have a ton of money for his future while Jenny will have the means to further a cause that’s personal for her, and which Carrey supports.

According to Star, Jim and Jenny had a $25 million dollar “no-nup,” or $5 million a year for each year that Jenny stayed with Jim. They don’t mention “this $50 million trust” story, so whether this is that same pot of money, or whether Jim had a separate trust for Jenny along with this “no-nup,” we’ll probably never know. Star broke the story of Jim and Jenny’s breakup, blaming Jim’s manic depression as putting a strain on the relationship. He’s since been tweeting incessantly and not making much sense, including sending random strings of numbers to different people, which tends to suggest that Star might be right.

“Jenny came to the realization that Jim would never marry her just a few months after they started dating,” a source tells Star. “So she told him she needed an arrangement that would insure she wouldn’t have to worry about her future or the future of Evan, her now 7-year-old autistic son from a previous marriage.”

Jim, 48, came to an agreement with Jenny: he’d pay Jenny $5 million for every year they were together. But the cash came with one condition, says an insider. Jenny, 37, had to promise never to publicly reveal personal stuff about Jim or his strange habits – of which there are many!

“If Jim doesn’t like you, he won’t even be civil toward you,” the insider tells Star. “He’ll ignore you and refuse to shake your hand – and stare at you like you’re from outer space! He also locks himself in a room with a statue of Buddha and obsessively prays for hours on end. And sometimes, he treated Jenny like a servant, barking at her to get him a drink or turn down the music. It was embarrassing to watch…

[Jim]… would also stay in bed for days, says the source, “not changing his clothes, eating or answering his phone. Still, Jenny would open the curtains, get him to shower and cheer him up. I don’t know how she did it.”

Now, with her big payday, the source says, “Jenny will always have nothing but positive things to say about him.”

[From Star Magazine, print edition, April 26, 2010]

I remember seeing Carrey on 60 minutes in 2004 (I didn’t remember the year and just looked that up). He was talking about his spirituality and he came across as really spacey to me. He also spoke candidly about his depression and said he was on Prozac for a while but needed to get off of it. It really sounded like he admitted to manic depression, if you read between the lines. “I was on Prozac for a long time. It may have helped me out of a jam for a little bit, but people stay on it forever. I had to get off at a certain point because I realized that, you know, everything’s just OK… There are peaks, there are valleys. But they’re all kind of carved and smoothed out, and it feels like a low level of despair you live in. Where you’re not getting any answers, but you’re living OK. And you can smile at the office. You know? But it’s a low level of despair. You know?” So is he saying that it’s a low level of despair on Prozac and that’s why he went off it?

Getting back to the “no-nup”/trust fund, I do believe that Carrey provided for McCarthy and her son, and that he genuinely cares about them. From what I can tell, neither Jim or Jenny has confirmed the story, but I wouldn’t doubt it. Jim has said that Jenny taught him how to love while Jenny has spoken about Jim and Evan’s connection. If Jenny says only positive things about Jim, it probably has more to do with the great memories they shared than any money that he gave her.

In related news, Jenny has closed her school for autistic children due to differences with her partner in the school. Jim was about to buy out Jenny’s partner when they broke up instead. Maybe she doesn’t have access to all this money after all. So far all we have are rumors about it.

Comments are Closed

In the age of stunt relationships (Michael Lohan and Kate Major anyone?) I find this one so genuine, despite any financial agreement they might have had. I don’t think Jenny would bad-mouth Carrey regardless. They just seem to still care for each other. If the break up was because of his issues, well, it’s a mental illness, not a personality disorder (see Tiger Woods, Jesse James).

The MMR theory has been proven false over and over, and the study that originally linked vaccines to autism has been formally retracted because the researcher violated multiple ethics rules during the course of the study. I wish people would just stop saying anything about the two being linked, and read the research (or lack thereof, in the “supporting” cases).

And I’ve posted this on here before, but Jenny McCarthy is such a hack. She emphasizes the diet and vitamins, while barely saying a peep about the intensive ABA therapy that her son receives. ABA therapy, the only scientifically proven treatment for autism, was the major factor in her son’s progress, not some wonky GFCF diet and vitamins.

All right, I’m early for the witch hunt and trial!!! Don’t forget, the tabloids also say that Elvis turns up at roadside diners every few months too. Newsflash!!! Having emotions that go up and down is the HUMAN CONDITION and him saying he was on Prozac for depression years ago sounded NOTHING like he was admitting to manic depression which he says he never had. It looks like you’re seeing what you want to see and blowing things out of proportion for some reason. I guess like people who watch reality TV, labeling others as “mentally ill” if they do anything slightly unusual makes some people feel better about themselves?

I really don’t understand this concept of “no-nup”. If somene can enlighten me’ I’d appreciate it. Is the money because she missed out on job opportunities while with him? It just seems like he’s paying her 2 b with him…

My mom has mild manic-depression. From what she says, the meds do even things out but you really come to miss the manic cycles. I’m pretty sure that’s what Jim was referring to with the “low level of despair.” You still have the blahs but with none of the benefits of those highs.

Yeah, i pretty much agree with what CourtneyH said. I never liked Jenny McCarthy. and i couldnt stand Jim could be such a stand up guy and put up with her ‘campaigns’ and ‘issues’. He must have been one helluva man to do all he’s done for her and a kid he didn’t sire.

I don’t know how women can claim to be feminist and yet still side with issues like this, or for instance, getting to keep the ring in a broken engagement. I’m not saying anyone here claims to be feminist – but this story blows my mind.

Why is it Jim’s job to support Jenny (or her son from a different marriage)? Why can’t Jenny support herself? Why does he owe her money in a break up and she doesn’t owe him? I seriously don’t get this.

Alimony is like prostitution – “Hey, thanks for your time, here’s how much it’s worth”.

I agree with Scorpiogal. I dated someone for a year with manic depression (or bi-polar disorder as it’s more commonly called). It was HELL on a relationship, extremely difficult to live with for all parties, and it certainly sounds similar to what is being said about Jim Carrey’s behaviors. My former bf also went of the meds because he felt 1) he could handle it – as many people with mental illness do once they are doing better on meds, and 2) he missed the ‘highs’ of the manic state. It’s not just the ‘emotional ups and downs of life or the Human Condition.’ It’s much much more and it’s hard to get under control, if that’s even possible. If Jenny could put up with 5 years of what I only went through for a year, I commend her. It’s a very tough row to hoe for everyone. And if he wanted to help her out financially, well, it’s his money and I think it’s very kind and generous of him to do so. My ex bf had that very sweet side too, but the lows were brutal.

He had a really tough early life. Sounds like people I know with bipolar, the longer off meds the harder it is. I wonder if he does have bipolar whether he’s afraid the meds would decrease his creativity and talent?

So sad that they broke up…understandable though, if what we are hearing is true. They both seem sincere about their feelings for each other. Too bad that Jim Carrey suffers from depression the way he does.

courtneyh is right. any link between mmr and autism has been disproved and the original research results abandoned because they were achieved under unreliable circumstances. all that aside i always thought Jim Carrey had come out as bipolar years ago.

Moll, I sort of thought the same thing. Why was there an agreement to be paid for being with him? When they were together, I’m sure he took care of everything financially. Even after splitting I could see him just being generous and giving her money so she and her son would always be OK. But to make an arrangement like that ahead of time, back when you first start dating, is just…wrong.

And yes, she can support herself. TV, movies, books, and I think she also has some exercise Wii thing too. I would also assume her ex pays child support.

Who knows. They seemed happy and good together, and it’s a shame it didn’t work, especially if Jim’s problems split them up.

I’m not saying Jenny is right, but let’s stop with the lies that vaccinating small kids is harmless. The vaccines I got when I was kid aren’t the same cocktails they’re giving kids now.

There’s too many shots being given in a small period of time! Shots that contain heavy medals and there isn’t adequate research available to discount this is harmless.

Did you know they’re giving kids vaccines for the chicken pox? The CHICKEN POX! There’s no reason to give a child that shot — sure it’s uncomfortable to scratch, but a child’s immune system can naturally handle it.

jenny claims to have cured her son’s autism through his diet, that makes me think he has a metabolic disorder not autism. That said, she’s published how many books and made a ton of money off of other things so why the heck should Jim Carrey have to “insure [sic] she wouldn’t have to worry about her future or the future of Evan”?

I’m sure that they took into consideration that during the term of their relationship, with no promise of marriage or other vow of a future together, Jenny was giving up any other opportunities for a relationship that may have presented itelf during the term of their relationship. Also, she would never get those years back & a 32 yr old in Hollywood has better chances than a 37 yr old.

Maybe this is not what they had in mind at all but I could see it, and yeah,, I know he (hopefully) gave up other ops during that time too. He’s rich folks & that’s a different world than we live in.

If he wanted to give her money, so be it. Why look at it as anti-feminist or illogical. He loved her for a long time and probably still does. He became attached to her son and treated him like her own. He wants her and her son to not have to worry about money. The man is loaded so sharing with loved ones doesn’t seem weird at all to me.

I could believe that Jim would give some money to Jenny because he is very generous and loved Evan as his own son. I would highly doubt that they had any sort of contract a la Tiger & Elin, however. Jim is a strange kind of guy but also a very genuine one. He sort of has his own Andy Kaufman routine going on where you don’t know when he is completely serious or just yanking your chain. The real pity is their relationship not working out. They were lovely together.

Iggles – many vaccines are developed as a less dangerous version of the more serious disease, so the body can then produce relevant antibodies quickly and effectively if necessary. Low exposure to develop immunity

And re: bipolar and drugs.. yes some medicated sufferers do miss their manic state, but I certainly do not miss mine. Medication can be very effective but often needs to be coupled with relevant behavioural therapy. Medication takes the edge off the lows (and highs, in the case of manic-depression) but often people are left with a general dull/apathetic feeling, and that’s where therapy comes in. It’s possible to learn to achieve natural highs (or learn to feel things ‘properly’ again) that aren’t associated with the manic state.

Iggles, it is better not to have the chicken pox. If you get chicken pox, you may get the shingles later on in life, like my husband had. To this day, he has eye damage (because he got the shingles in his eye) and a neurological dysfunction for which he is still being medicated (five years after the shingles). If you never get the chicken pox, you can’t get the shingles.

Courtney is absolutely correct in her comment. Vaccines are life savers. They really are. If we stop vaccinating our kids, then all the old killer diseases will come back. Kids will truly suffer and die, then. I don’t think that’s what we want.

Courtney is right about all of it…MMR, the retracted study, and the importance of intensive ABA treatments…

I’m glad someone finally said it, because every time I hear Jenny McCarthy talk about autism I have to change the channel. I will give her props for her passion and dedication, but as a non-medical professional (or someone not trained in behavioural psyc, etc.) she really shouldn’t be talking as if she’s an expert. (Especially when it has been questioned if her son’s diagnosis really was autism.)

@Iggles The preservative you’re referring to, thimerosal, breaks down to ethylmercury, not methylmercury (methyl is the kind found in fish and produced from burning coal). Ethylmercury has not been found to accumulate in the body like methylmercury does, and does not pose the same health risks. In any instance, your point is moot, because thimerosal was taken out of MMR vacs in the US in 1999 because the unfounded worries about it were causing an increase in measles (surprise!). As for chicken pox, the goal of the vaccine is to protect immunocompromised children, who are at a much higher risk for complications from chicken pox (mortality rate is estimated anywhere from 5 to 25% in this group). However, over 1/3 of states allow a “philosophical” exemption in addition to the standard religious and medical exemptions, and other states will likely follow suit.

Lastly, “not enough studies”? A quick search of journal databases reveals over 20 studies since 1998 that found no connection between MMR vacs and autism. I’m sure there are more, but I figured 20 was a good solid number to quit searching at. The number of studies supporting a connection? It was 1, but the paper was retracted due to multiple ethical violations and allegations of falsifying data.

The Dr. who put forward the study was a general surgeon, not a pediatrician, not an immunologist, not a researcher. He drew his conclusions from doing scopes on some “autistic” (I use quotes because he is so sketchy who knows what real issues these children may have had…autism is very difficult to diagnose) and noticed some bowel changes. He was also part of a vaccine company that was to provide the MMR as separate vaccines, rather than the combo. His results we not reliable, repeatable or scientific – and he is no longer a practising sugreon.
He was out to make money with his vaccines and created a panic in families in north america. Parents who dont immunize their children are trading on herd immunity – their children cant be put at risk, but they hope your immunized child will help kill off whichever bug is creeping around. Im sure children in the 3rd world would happily and healthfully receive our vaccination schedule and be healthier for it.

Also

Chicken pox – 1 in 500 children need to be hospitalized with respiratory issues when the chicken pox are inside their lungs causing swelling and pneumonia along with pain! The chicken pox vaccine works well, and those children who are still affected tho vaccinated usually only have a mild case. Children die with the chicken pox, just beacause when you had it it wasnt too bad doesnt mean it doesnt kill.

Eh, my own experience re: bi-polar, for what it’s worth at this point.

Prozac alone is not a treatment for it. In my case, it would send me off-the charts manic to even add it to my regular list of meds, I can’t tolerate even low doses of any kind of anti-depressant kinds of meds on the markets as of today. 19 years after my initial diagnosis, I’m lithium-intolerant, which has erased the most effective known treatment and I’ve been roller-coasting for the last two years.

I miss my highs and do feel an very embarrassed sense of internal glee when I report in to my doc that I had another cycle. But that’s the reason I don’t Twitter, why I take a lot of breaks from forums, so I don’t “do a Carrey.”

It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he is bi-polar and if he is, it’s not like it’s something to be ashamed of, considering some of the other crap people have had to come clean about.

As for the vaccine issue, I have zero knowledge of this specific autism/MMR issue, so this is a blanket statement about drugs/interactions and repercussions in general. There are a LOT of things we continue to think are safe and beneficial that we inject, swallow and put inside of us that ten, fifteen, however many years down the road we find out will kill or maim us.

Snap, I can’t tell if you’re being serious or ironic. If it’s the former, you’re the idiot.

Jenny came to the realization that Jim would never marry her just a few months after they started dating. So she told him she needed an arrangement that would insure she wouldn’t have to worry about her future or the future of Evan….”

Because THAT is why you get married – to be finanically set.

I can understand him wanting to take care of Evan because he has been a part of his life for so long, but this just grosses me out.

Maybe he gave her the money so she could keep up the level she’s been living at these 5 years. Jenny isn’t anywhere near Jims pay grade so maybe he felt it was best for the child especially to maintain the same lifestyle.

For her to request some kind of financial agreement (if that is what even happened) seems like the equivalent of saying, “If you’re not gonna give me the rights to a substantial fraction of your assets, then you’ll have to pay me to date you.”

As far as I can tell, Jenny McCarthy was pretty well-off before she started dating Jim.

In my opinion, having an arrangement like that would seriously f with the dynamic of their relationship.

When I left my ex-husband he gave me an itemised “bill” of what he considered I was worth in the settlement. It was hilarious (and he was an asshole), but it was nowhere near 5 million. Where did I go wrong???

This kind of makes Jenny McCarthy look like a prostitute. WHY is he paying her $$$? She’s got books and exercise endorsements- makes you wonder if she was more like his “life coach” or babysitter for a few years.

@feebee – nice response to violet…taking the higher road is always best! Good for you.

Re: Jenny and Jim – I cannot believe that some people on here have implied that she is a user, prostitute(WTF!?) or a gold digger! Why? Because this couple is splitting with some class – not the more usual hateful split we see so often? We have no idea what “arrangement” they may have had or not had and it is none of our business. What we do know is that they are handling this with grace. Good for them!

Im sad about the emotional ramification the break up will cause her son. I’m sure the son spent a lot of time with Jim and became an important part of his life. It was bad enough his parents got divorced and he doesn’t live with his father and now this….. It’s important for a boy, especially one with issues like autism, to have a permanent, stable father figure in the household.
I hope Jenny thinks about her sons best interest next time she picks a man. Chose your partners wisely. If someone has mental issues and drama, perhaps you don’t want those issues to spill over and affect you and your family. I like Jenny and her causes, don’t get me wrong. I like Jim too, but after seeming him back in 2004 in the 20/20 interview, he seemed not mentally strong or stable to me. Nice guy, but not husband material or someone you’d want to raise a family with.

I’ve always liked her, she laughs at herself, she has fought for her child when a lot of celebs would have passed him off to a nanny. When I was young you received 10 vaccinations now in the same amount of time a child receives 36, many containing mercury.

I like them together as they were funny and quirky. They seem to genuinely care for either other and their respective children. jenny mentioned staying in Jane’s life (Carrey’s grown daughter)

@courtneyh
having seen my neighbors child being born “normal”, getting vaccinated at two, and having seen almost instantly the changes in his personality and clear signs of Autism from thereon, I have watched his parents’ journey from trying everything and anything they could to do to provide him help and a possible cure or alleviation of a very difficult medical condition. from that moment on I strongly reconsidered getting my daughters vaccinated and did a great deal of research to make my decision. I’m not going to tell you what my decision is, because it is irrelevant, as it is every parent’s right and priviledge to make that decision without being heckled and judged. if whatever she did or believes in worked for her and her son, good for her. It might not be for everyone, but at least she is passionate enough about her child and any child out there with that affliction to get involved and stay involved. And what do you do with your free time? oh, yeah, there is always CelebitchY!

The timing of the “sudden” appearance of autism and vaccinations is purely coincidental. I am sure with hindsight, and if they are completely honest and don’t jump on the anti-vaccine bandwagon, your neighbours will have been able to spot very small tell tale signs before their child’s autism “suddenly” appeared!

To all intents and purposes, and certainly to outsiders, my son appeared perfectly normal as a baby, but his autism did not manifest until he was 18 months old – we, however, have no doubt that he was born with this life-long developmental disability.

I would also like to say that my son has made remarkable progress in the 5 years since he was diagnosed, with only mainstream therapies – just as many other autistic children improve – with or without their parents’ sanctioning crackpot and often dangerous alternative therapies! Such is Autism Spectrum Disorder …

Onyx…awesomely said. VACCINES CAUSE AUTISM. MERCURY CAUSES AUTISM. MERCURY IS IN VACCINES. VACCINES CAUSE AUTISM…round and round we go. learn people, the truth is really out there, you just need to read read read, and keep an open mind, you just may learn something from all your reading. There are things out there that will harm you, even if doctors, and the government say its “fine”…research and learn about everything you put in your body, and all the toxins around you, this is not the same world we grew up with, it is far more toxic than before and unfortunately will probably grow in toxicity as time progresses. Oh, and don’t automatically trust EVERYTHING your doctor said as “GODLIKE TRUTH” he is there ultimately for the profit, sick people make them filthy stinkin rich, rich rich beyond your and my wildest fantasies…that kind of rich makes people do things they wouldn’t normally do, things like harm them, make their health poor so they can have “customers” for life. It’s sad, I wish it were not so, but why do you think the “health craze” is taking off, everyone is looking to “alternative” natural solutions to all the poisonous medications, meds that have hundreds of terrible side effects. You want more hair, take these pills, but be aware, it may cause constipation, bad breath, bad knees, a third eyeball, hairy toes, ruptured spleen, cardiac arrest, horrible painful gas for 2 weeks straight, broken legs, painful stomach, chronic fatique, irritable bowel syndrome, blindness, and possible death. but you will have a thick full of hair…at least until you stop taking the pills..because if you EVER stop taking the pills your hair will fallout worse than before, so you have to take them forever…and ever…hahahaha. “Isn’t our little scam brilliant” oops “they” didn’t want you to hear that…and yes…there really is a “they” out there, and “they” are not on your side. They are on their wallets and bank accounts side, not yours, never yours.

2. I’m an ABA therapist. I work with kids with autism 5 days a week. The company I work for provides therapy to kids from low income families at 1/10th the normal cost of a private therapist. How? A local donor, and the fundraising we do on our own time, off the clock (i.e. my “free time”).

3. Yes, I post on Celebitchy in my free time (you know… when I’m not working with kids with autism or fundraising for them). You’re also posting on Celebitchy in your free time. What’s your point?

Courtney, who said there is no mercury in it, did you take it to a lab and have the ingredients analyzed yourself? If not, then do you REALLY know there is no mercury in it, or are you just taking their word for it, now that everyone is complaining about the mercury we found out is poisoning our kids…and if not mercury, then something probably 10 times worse, a new poison they just created for us…but do you really think they are NOW telling us the full truth, I don’t. Their motives are money, not our health. But if you choose to believe all the lies they tell, go for it.
if anyone can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt what in fact causes autism (if it isn’t mercury in the vaccines/ or vaccines in general), hey, i’m all ears. All you guys seem to say is “there’s nothing wrong with vaccines”, well prove what is causing all the HUGE growths of autism in our country if it is NOT the vaccines then. Please let me know, i would love to know. The doctors and “researchers” ALL have their greedy little mitts in the til jar, getting rich off of others sickness. Prove 100% what is the cause of autism then if it is not the dosage and type of vaccines our children are getting more and more of yearly. You don’t know do you? Well, then you can’t say 100% there is nothing unsafe in vaccines then can you. We don’t know the full story everyone. its a shame some of us just don’t want to open our minds, and hearts to the possibility it isn’t all snowflakes, and gumdrops out there, and there may be bad things in the “drugs” they give us. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink until HE chooses to. Same here. Can’t believe everything on TV either, or in newspapers, or in magazines. There is a lot we are kept in the dark on, for various reasons. It’s just too bad MOST of the world is blind to what is really going on. I guess they are just too afraid to understand the truth of it, and that all is not as it appears to be. oh well…, it’s just funny how most Americans ALWAYS side with the “ALL KNOWING, GODLIKE DOCTORS AND MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT/GOVERNMENT”, they are not God everyone, you and I need to take our own health into our own hands and learn the truth about things, don’t trust it just because they say so, is all I’m saying, and it seems as if everyone is quick to think anyone else is a “Quack” if they say anything that may go against the ALL KNOWING GOD LIKE MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT, because they would never want to hurt us right? They have nothing to gain (cough* billions of dollars in profits per year* couch) right, no sir-ee, nothing to gain here…that’s all.

Sheila, you’re spouting off subjective anecdotes and conspiracy theories. Science backs up everything I’ve said, so the burden of proof is on you. But, frankly, if you’re that paranoid and can’t be swayed by empirical evidence, then debating with you is futile.

@courtneyH (+ @kimble)
you can put your big word dictionary away now, because I’m gonna give it to you straight. I’m not talking about anecdotes, I’m talking about real life experiences. Coincidental timing? Hardly so? Isolated incident? Really?
I don’t believe for a second that you are an ABA therapist, I think you’re full of balloni and love to pretend you have knowledge about something, anything. why won’t you allow parents to make the decisions they think is best for their children? isn’t that what we do as parents every day? we decide on their doctors, their clothes, their schools ect. IN THEIR BEST INTEREST. who are you to get so pissed off about some parents personal choices?P.S. your intelectual capabilities seem to be very limited, since my reference to you posting on Celebitchy was in direct response to you criticising someone who is obviously very actively involved in researching and advocating new methods for the cure of a yet
unsolved medical phenomenon. Peace out.

@onyx Your “real life experiences” are anecdotal evidence. It’s a subjective account with no control for confounding variables, and conclusions drawn from these anecdotes should not be used make medical decisions. However, I have never said that parents shouldn’t be allowed to forego vaccinating their children, nor am I “pissed off” at parents’ decisions regarding vaccination. What I have said is that there is no empirical evidence of a causal relationship between vaccines and autism, and stating otherwise is untrue. I personally think not vaccinating your child is unwise, but if that’s what you want to do, that’s your individual right (though most school districts would disagree with me on this point).

In regards to your assertion that I shouldn’t criticize Jenny McCarthy for “researching and advocating new methods for a cure,” I’d like to see the research she’s been doing. Actual research, with objective, unbiased clinical trials. The research articles I’ve read about GFCF diets, chelation, hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy, various vitamins and supplements, etc. all indicate no clinically significant difference between kids who received these treatments and kids who were in the control groups.

Being an ABA therapist would be an odd thing for me to just pull out of thin air. What could I explain that would prove this? The ABLLS-R? What should and should not go on an ABC data sheet? How I’ve taught a 5 year old who was completely non-verbal last year to mand for 12 items now? I’ll admit his articulation isn’t the best, but we’re getting there…

Again, parents are entitled to choose whether or not to vaccinate their children, but claiming vaccines cause autism is just plain false. Additionally, as dozens of studies have already been conducted and have found no link, it slows the research to find the true cause(s), and thus slows the discovery of ways to treat, prevent, and/or cure autism.

@onyx
It might be in your own best interest to stop commenting on the intellectual capabilities of others when your own capabilities do not even extent to the proper spelling of bologna. Baloney is an accepted variant. Dictionaries are wonderful things.

ONYX, you are one after my own heart, and I am certain you made the very best decision for your family and child regarding vaccines. It truly takes a very strong soul to go against what practically everyone out there says you need to do (ALMOST at gunpoint, almost as being illegal if you don’t do so). Who knows, one day, it may just be exactly that…so GREAT job, I commend you!

QUINN & SCOUT: maturity is not your strong point. Who really cares how you spell anything. That in no way takes away from a point someone is making from their heart, but I knew if anyone were to make a typo that was saying anything that differed from the points you guys were making, you would be quick to bring it up…isn’t that something you do in the 2nd grade. I have a feeling you two aren’t really what you say you are.

COURTNEY & KIMBLE: I’m tired of giving my point about this. I am realizing most people would rather stick their head in the sand (similar to an ostrich) than learn the real truth. Science is NOT EVERYTHING. Didn’t you read what I said above. Who writes the science books, and who does the testings / and so-called “research” that usually favors their side of the argument, the same people that stand to profit from what the results are (billions in profits yearly). Oh well, guess you will be sheeple for ever. I guess if there were no sheeple there wouldn’t be people like us, stepping away from the pack, and hungry to learn the REAL TRUTH and try to show others so they can see too, but most won’t want to open their eyes. That’s on you. I come from a place of love, and trying to share the truth of what is really taking place in our country, and the world also. What you listen to and try to really understand, that’s really up to each of us to do.

COURTNEY: The burden of proof SHOULD be on everyone, not just me. It should be everyone’s interest to find out what is causing autism in our country, and through the world. Don’t you care? Don’t you want to get right down to the truth of the matter, or are you too afraid of what the results may be of the truth? Its Vaccines, sweetpea. Get that through your thick head. If I had 10 billion dollars, I could then do all the proper testing required to prove it, but I’m not rich. Why isn’t the government / doctors doing the proper testing to find out what it really is then? Why did they take mercury out of the vaccines then? Seems to be they are admitting hey, mercury isn’t such a terrific thing to toss into our kids bodies…if they even really removed it. Sounds like admitting it may be harmful, and IT CAUSES AUTISM…even though they won’t come out and say so..why? LAWSUITS!!!! Lots of them, trillions in dollars in payouts for lifetime of care for millions+ of autistic kids and the parents caring for them…oh well.

So Courtney, why would they take out the mercury from the vaccines in the first place? Why did they have it there in the 1st place and why did they take it out. Where was their testing when it was 1st in there, why was it many years later that they say Mercury is bad…they may have just put a synthetic version of mercury in there that isn’t called mercury, but its the same thing as before…just to trick us all. THE TRUTH WILL BE KNOWN ONE DAY. Courtney, hope your kids won’t be victims to the vaccine. You probably already gave it to them, and you are just so afraid what we are saying it true, right? That’s enough. No point talking with you, you aren’t open hearted enough to want to know the truth anyway. What a shame.

we don’t know everything. Maybe it has to do with genetics. Maybe the parents had less mercury fillings, and ate much less mercury filled fish, maybe the parents parents also avoided those things, maybe there are less toxic elements in the home, such as chemicals, and more organic, raw foods are eaten for generations. I don’t know 100% why. That’s the point, we need to find out what is happening, and WHY it is happening, and WHY it is happening worse to some kids and not to others. What is the common denominator here. I think it has to do with how much toxic load that child has from all the way through the family line of genes, and food, mercury/other toxins in the water. Do they use more filtered water, I don’t know why. Glad to hear all kids aren’t hurt by it, but maybe it will come out in harmful ways later in life. I wish I knew all the answers, I just know we need to search for them together, and get to the bottom line of what is REALLY going on, instead of just taking what the government / doctors tell us is the truth.

@ sheila p.s. My kids have religious exemption. They are hardley ever sick and man did I catch sh*t for bucking the whole swine flu trend. mind you, my kids were the only ones NOT sick during the “outbreak”. *** either this sh*ts a scam or we have diety blood, and Lord knows, I love the latter HA

Your conspiracy theory about profit has absolutely no basis. How exactly would they (whoever “they” are) profit? You don’t get make money off of illness, you make money from treating illness. There’s only one legitimate treatment for autism, and it’s not very profitable (I could easily make $20K more in another subfield of psych, but I enjoy ABA and my clients). Pills are profitable, therapy isn’t. The only pills available ease some positive symptoms (self-injurious behvior, aggression, etc.), but there are no pills to help negative symptoms (language, social, etc. deficits). However, there ARE a lot of quacks getting rich off of parents’ fears by recommending useless but expensive treatments such as chelation, hyperbaric oxygen, vitamins/supplements, etc. If you want to point your finger at some money-grubbing jerks, point it at the “doctors” and “holistic healers” who convince parents to waste their money on treatments that are ineffective at best and dangerous at worst.

If you read my earlier posts, thimerosal was taken out of vaccines because the unfounded worries about it were causing parents to not vaccinate children, and more children were getting those diseases, particularly measles. I feel this was a bad move, as it only gave the anti-vaccine movement a feeling of legitimacy were this is none.

The government and private organizations ARE providing money to find the cause of autism (and new treatments and a cure). I don’t know where you got the idea that they weren’t. Google “current autism studies” for an idea of just how much research is going into find a cause and a cure. Many of these recent and current studies have found indications of a biological basis, and most scientists believe the cause is both biological and environmental elements acting together. I am in agreement with the majority of scientists, and think the environmental factor that triggers the biological element is probably something that we are exposed to much more often, such as various air and water pollutants. However, they’ve already established that vaccines are not the answer. There is not a higher incidence of autism in vaccinated populations, versus unvaccinated population–in fact, the rate of autism in both vaccinated and unvaccinated kids is about the same.

I understand the frustration of not having a definite answer to what’s causing autism, but ultimately, the answer will be found through the scientific method. Until then, we must work with the treatments available, and support universities, professors, and private researchers who are working hard to figure out the cause and find a cure.

He stayed with her for 5 yrs. Relationships just don’t always work out.
Jim is obviously quirky. He needs to be on Prozac so he has personality problems.
I’ve heard Jenny on many shows and she’s a bubbly fun girl. Jim was probably not.
Give the funny man credit for giving Jenny more than enough to take care of her and her baby.
I take Prozac and it kinda steals your soul. You lose your desire for almost everything including sex. The older you are the worse it gets. I don’t think they broke up, I think he set her free to live a real life.

CARA@ You are awesome! I wouldn’t say I’m brave, just trying to tell it like it is. I also commend you for doing what you feel is right with your children, and yup, the more “holistic” you go, and closer to nature you go, less drugs/meds, the better. Eat organic, get that crap out of our food, no more pesticides, herbicides, and fluoride in our water…no thanks…fluoride was used in the concentraction camp times/nazi days, put into the water supply of the Jews so they would be more “mellow” and less able to resist and fight back, and now we have fluoride in our water and toothpaste too. Only way to get rid of it is to use a water distiller or a reverse osmosis water filter, I use the reverse osmosis, think it takes better, less flat. But get that CRAP out of our food and water for the love of God, or at least give us a choice before you start poisoning us.

COURTNEY, you probably think Fluoride is good for us too. Do you also think pesticides are good in our veggies/fruits? Hey were there any tests done on those? If there were, I’m guessing they came back “UNHARMFUL IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER” right? Wrong. Ugh. Why is it always called “conspiracy theory” when it’s true?

No profit in making kids autistic? Yeah, I’m sure its a walk in the park and cheap as can be.

It’s been fun guys! All meant in a love, nothing hurtful or mean spirit. Onyx and Cara, love you guys!! Keep the faith.

AND…meds and surgery are not the only way to a healthy body, but that’s all doctors are TRAINED in med school to do, they don’t understand and know anything about eating healthy, diet, exercise, any other holistic, natural way to life-long health. Only dope you up or cut it out. It’s true. I had a friend who had cancer, and she cured it all naturally by eating raw food, blending up tons of green veggies and eating fruits, good omega fats and nuts, etc, all organic, and lots of great vitamins, no chemicals or meds taken and cured her cancer, and she told her doctor, and he didn’t give a care about HOW she healed herself…he said great, in a sarcastic unhappy tone, like he was seeing hundred dollar bills just flying out of the window. His meal ticket was healing herself *Ugh* say it ain’t so *ugh* NATURALLY! The enemy to the medical establishment is natural healthy “alternative” cures. Alternative my BUTT. It’s the GOD GIVEN way…toxic meds and costly, deadly surgeries are not the way it was meant to be. We were not meant to pump our bodies full of toxic crap from the air, water, food, clothing, carpets, furniture, everything around you has some kind of chemical in it, EVERYTHING. it never used to be this way. Commercialism is the devil. Greed is the devil. THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL. Where have I heard that before. But it’s true! follow the money trail…there you will find the motive for everything that is going on today. With exception of course. There are a lot of great hearted, loving, truth seekers out there, that really are trying to make the world a better place, but we need more of these people, and less of the money grubbing you know whats. Money is not everything. Love is everything.

Courtney, we’re all so VERY impressed (so VERY, VERY impressed), but if I have to hear you mention “subjective anecdotes”, “anecdotal evidence” and that you are a so-called “ABA therapist” (what does that stand for, all-back-a**wards?) one more time, I may have to eat 10 bologni sandwiches…

Ugh. I wish men wouldn’t “set up” women financially. It makes all of us (females) look like whores. She can make her own money, pay her own bills, live on her own two feet. No wonder so many men are commitment-phobes.

Courtney, I apologize for my last comment, it was rude, and I should not have said it, we are all on the same side here, protecting kids in the best way possible, its all any of us want. We are all a team. Have a terrific week everyone!

Sheesh. Just how much damage Jenny has done becomes clear by reading the comments in this thread.

Science 101: correlation does not equal causation. You may not care about this, but if you aren’t aware of this concept, then you’re not qualified to talk about autism presenting after vaccinations. Full stop.

CourtneyH is providing a public service by taking the time to discuss this. Her words are wise and it’s kind of her to take the time. I will do so as well:

Further reading:
Forbes: Vaccine Court Ruling: Thimerosal Does Not Cause Autism
Discover, Bad Science blog: Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism!
The Guardian/BMJ: MMR vaccine and autism
And of course the basics: The Wikipedia entry on autism

Celebitchy: Most of the reason this is a “lightning rod topic,” as you state, sits squarely in Jenny’s lap. Just because she loves her son doesn’t mean she isn’t wrong about the science. And she is. The science on this fact is not in the slightest bit controversial.

Sheila: Autism’s been around forever; it was only just come to be understood, slowly, since the 40s. I recommend Saskia Baron’ The Autism Puzzle, a short doc available on Veoh.

Courtney…Lady, your professionalism and passion is inspiring. “Don’t cast pearls before swine.” It is wasted effort, and you certainly did your best to explain how the studies work and where the current knowledge stands. I, for one, am glad to know you’re out there in the industry helping children and families…so much respect for you.

Courtney, I am truly inspired by your interest in science, that is great. I hope you are right, I really do, and I’m not just saying that. I really really hope what you say is the way things will unfold as the truth later. I am really openminded about it, and want to know the real truth. So I hope it turns out that way. But you seem very wise, and intellegent. I hope you are correct about this particular issue. I am a little leary of believing every little case study and test that comes out, since I am not certain it was not skewed in some way to meet what they want the results to be, since they stand to lose so much money in lawsuits, there really is a motive to “cover” up something. I’m not saying that is what is happening, just saying I’m a little uncertain I want to be so quick to believe their results from testings. Hope what the tests reveal is in fact 100% truth, and accurate, but since there are so many factors involved, tough to tell what / if anything is being pushed under a rug or hidden. I dunno…just my thoughts. But I hope what you say is true, and there is no cover up or anything like that, and vaccines are in no way shape or form related to autism, or any other neurological disease for people. That would truly make me a happy person.

ah guys…I was in the eco biz and can tell you, hardley anything’s truly organic now. Therefor, just be wise. Do your best to stay away from meat and dairy that comes from clones and LISTEN to your body. I personally have beaten all odds and through exercise, eating right and fresh air I have brought my body BACK!!! (and detoxing off ALL synthetics and sticking with HERBS) So, I don’t want to tell anyone what to do, I just share what I’ve learned for myself and hope it’ll help another. Peace and may He bless

Cara, I agree with you. I wish more things were TRULY organic, and raw in some cases too. Glad to hear you did such great things health wise for your body using good quality stuff. Awesome! Natural stuff does so many wonderful things for us, all provided to us by nature and meant to heal our bodies.